Sabot retainer



Sept. 5, 1961 c. E. HABLUTZEL SABOT RETAINER Original Filed Aug. 2, 1945 F I6. I

l6 m la cum/.55 E. HABLUTZEL f 9 dflw BY TTORW United States Patent 2,998,778 SABOT RETAINER Charles E. Hablntzel, Albuqnerque, N. Mex., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Se cretary of the Navy 1 I Orig nal application Aug. 2, 1945, Ser. No. 608,598. Divided and this application May 7, 1953, Ser. No.

1 Claim. (Cl. 102-93) dealt with in some cases by assembling the projectile parts somewhat loosely. In such projectiles, however, considerable trouble is sometimes ,enoountered'in handling, as in packing operations at the factory or while unpacking or loading in the field. Unless particular care is observed, the component elements frequently separate, in which event it is easily possible that some of the elements will be lost or damaged. At best, considerable time must be consumed in reassembling the separated elements, and in service use this is a serious disadvantage. Even where provision is made for positive retention of the projectile parts, a further problem arises in obtaining release of the sabot early in its flight after firing.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a projectile in which a sub-caliber core and a sabot are locked in assembled relationship, the sabot being releasable after the projectile is fired without deflecting the core from its established flight path, but being firmly held on the core prior to firing.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a projectile in which a sub-caliber core and sabot are positively held in assembled relationship in such a manner as to overcome the above described difliculties, and are conditloned for separation under shock, heat, or centrifugal force, all of which are natural consequences of firing a projectile.

A further object of the invention is to provide a projectile of the character referred to above which is simple to manufacture and is adapted to large quantity production.

Other and ancillary objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a preferred form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal-sectional view of the rotating band;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal-sectional view of the forward bearing ring;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a modified form of sub-caliber projectile, showing one form of sabot retaining ring covered by the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of one form of sabot retaining ring of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of another form or sabot retaining ring.

The projectile assembly in the form illustrated includes a substantially cylindrical sub-caliber core and a sabot in the form of a cup or base plate fitting about the rear portion of the core and locked to the core by means of a 2,998,778 Patented Sept, 5, i9 1 retaining ring which is destructible under at least one of the conditions incidental to firing a projectile from a gun.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4.01? theaccompanying drawing, "the projectile, there shown comprises a subcaliber core 11. having an ogive nose portion 1 1a and an axially extending rear hub or time plug12' of reduced I diameter which may be integral with the core or suitably secured thereto, An elongated cylindrical bourrelet 13 which may be made of reinforced plastic, dural, light metal, fibre, or the like, ismounted on the body of the core over most'of thecore'len-gth except for the ogive portion. In order to prevent the bourrelet from sliding forwardly over the ogive of the projectile core during handling, there is preferablyv provided'a stop 14, which,

as shown in FIG, 1, comprises an annular shoulder on the projectile core immediately inadvance of the bourrelet. A sabot 1-6 fits loosely over the hub'll and is held firmly-against the rearward face of core 11 by retaining ring 17 threaded to the rearmost end of hub 12. Arotating band 18 of copper or other suitable material is mounted by press fitting or by other suitable means in annular grooves 18a on the periphery of the sabot. The retain-ing ring 17 presses against the sabot 16 and holds the sabot and sub-caliber projectile firmly together. The sabot extends-over the rearward end of the bourrelet as shownand efiectively retains the bourrelet in snug contact with the sub-caliber core 11. Ring :19 of steel or other suitable materials is threaded on the forward end of the bourrelet 13 and acts as a front bearing surface between the bourrelet and the gun bore.

If desired, the bourrelet 13 may contain longitudinal slots 20 dividing it into three or more segments, the segments being held together on the sub-caliber core in front by the bearing ring 19 and in the rear by sabot 16. Alternatively, slots 20 may be terminated at a distance from the rearward end of bourrelet 13 leaving an uncut portion (undesignated) to break under the centrifugal force which is imparted to the projectile by the rifling of the gun barrel when the projectile is fired.

The projectile depicted in FIG. 5 is similar to that shown in FIG. 1 and contains substantially the same parts with the exception of the forward bearing ring 19. The

, ward sabot surface when the ring 21 is threaded tightly upon hub 12 of core 1 1. The ring is composed of a combustible material, for example, magnesium, and is adapted to burn rapidly upon contact with the hot gases of combustion of the propellant powder. Perforations 23 are provided to expose a greater surface of the ring 21 to the hot gases, thereby assuring more rapid destruction of the ring by burning.

Another modification of the sabot retaining ring is shown at 24 in FIG. 7. This ring is composed of steel or other such relatively strong material but is greatly weakened by a complete break 26 and a notch 27 located diametrically opposite the break. The ring 24 is sufiiciently rigid under static conditions to secure the sabot and the bourrelet against any relative movement with respect to the sub-caliber core in ordinary handling or loading operations. Upon firing of the projectile, however, the centrifugal :force imparted to the projectile causes the ring 24 to open at its point of the break 26 to release the sabot and the bourrelet from the core. The opening action of the ring is greatly facilitated by the notch 27; this results in almost immediate detachment of the ring and, consequently, the sabot and bourrelet, after the projectile has left the muzzle of the gun.

- 3 When the si1b caliber projectile is fired from a gun, the rotating band 18 engages the rifling of the gun barrel, and, due to the high pressure of the sabot 16 against the .core ll; the rotation imparted to the rotatingband is is turntnansmitited by the saver a; the sore, ma aef axial alignment of the entire projectile assembly Within the gun barrel is maintained by contact dune hearing ring 19 with the lands of the rifle bore; The dynamic conditions set if in the projectile when it is metnd the hot powder ases resulting from 511611 an e'itlief singly or in cooperation to release the sabot' and the hourreleffrom the suh-cali'bef core immediately after the prcfiectile has emerged from the ifiuiile of the gun. This separation can occur iii a number of different ways same of which will now be given by Way of illustration. When the sabot ring,- for example ring 21, is composed of a combustible material such magnesium, the hot gases of combustion of the propellant charge causes the ring to ignite irinfie'diat'ely upon The ring is thus quickly destroyed releasing the sahot and the bourrelet which are swept from the core by wind resistance or thrown therefrom by centrifugal force. When a low melting substance, such as lead or any of the well-known fusible alloys, is used in the ring composition, releasing action of the sabot and hourrelet from the core is effected by melting the ring in the hot gasesresulting from combustion of the propellant. In the foregoing two modifications of the sabot retaining ring the melting or burning action of the ring is greatly facilitated by the presence of a number of perforations 23 in the ring permitting greater access thereto by the hot gases f course,

ing' rings composed of relatively strong material, sirch as that depicted in FIG. 7, but which afe" deliberately weakened to causetheir disintegration under centrifugal force.

While what has been described is particularly illustrative of a presently preferred ehiboment of my invention, it is not intended that the scope of the invent-ion be limited thereto but that it embrace any modifications and changes which fall within the trilesfiirit of theinvention,- as ovema by the a pended claim, scouring skilled the I claiiii: 4

I Iii a projectile having" a subealiber core and a sabot thereon, a threaded appendage on said projectile e iterid ing IodseIy through said sabotand a split collar threaded upon said appendage to said sabot to said projectile; said collar having a weakened portion opposite the split on" said collaf adapted to open under centrifugal force to release said sab't h-tini said core.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Brandt to those 

